It was all started by a mouse
by Ratin8tor
Summary: One chance encounter on a train changes one animator's life forever


The man sat on the train, sketchpad in hand, absent-mindedly jotting down some sketches. He stared out of the window, trying not to let the tears well up in his eyes.

There was a knock at the compartment door.

"Excuse me," said a male voice. "Is anyone sitting there?" The man was tempted to tell the stranger to go away, but decided that any company was better then sitting there feeling sorry for himself.

"Thank you," said the man, coming in and sitting down. He had long brown hair and a costume that made him look like he was going to a Halloween party. It was some sort of strange Bill Hickey cowboy costume of some sorts. Then again you find all sorts in LA.

"Hello," said the man cheerfully. "I'm the Doctor. And you are?"

"Walt," said Walt, voiced muffled by resting his hand on his chin.

"Lovely to meet you Walt," said the Doctor, ignoring Walt's dour mood. "Jelly baby?" Walt looked down in the paper bag in the strangers hand, filled with strange confectionery.

"I use to love these when I was younger," said the Doctor, absent-mindedly chomping on one. "Mind you I was a different man back then."

"Indeed," murmured Walt, wondering where his wife had got too. Probably in the snack cart talking to some nice young man. Someone with a future.

"So is that a no to the jelly baby?" asked the Doctor. "Pity. They're quite nice." The two sat in silence, Walt looking out of the window, the Doctor looking at the notepad in Walt's hand.

"What do you have there?" he asked.

"Nothing," said Walt, trying to put it away, but somehow it ended up in the strange Doctor's hands.

"Hey!" Walt said, outraged.

"Oh this is very good," said the Doctor. "Did you draw this?"

"Yes," said Walt bristly, holding out his hand so the man could give his notepad back.

"What are you going to call him?"

"Mortimer," said Walt, wondering with bafflement whilst he was still even talking to this man.

"Oh no no no," said the Doctor. "That'll never do. Call him Mickey instead." Walt said nothing but snatch the notepad back, but the idea stayed in his mind.

"You shouldn't give up you know," said the Doctor.

"Oh I shouldn't, should I?" Walt snapped back. "I presume you've had your entire life snatched away from you in a cruel moment."

"More times then you could count," muttered the Doctor to himself, before looking Walt right in the eye. "You know what I think? I think it's important to have a good hard failure when you're young. I learned a lot out of that. Because it makes you kind of aware of what can happen to you. Because of it I've never had any fear in my whole life when we've been near collapse and all of that. I've never been afraid. I've never had the feeling I couldn't walk out and get a job doing something."

"Ha," scoffed Walt. "And who came up with that nonsense?"

"A very wise man," said the Doctor. "A man that went on to bring joy and happiness to the world. A man who wouldn't let anything stop him. Even if he had just lost the rights to one of his creations." Walt's head jerked away from his hand and he stared the Doctor right in the eye.

"How did you know-" he began, but the Doctor cut him off.

"That's unimportant. What's important is that you don't give up. Never give up. The world could always use some more magic in it." The Doctor got up to leave, ignoring Walt's protests.

"Oh and one last thing," the Doctor said, hovering by the door. "Steamboats. Marvellous things, aren't they?" He closed the door, the sound of the footsteps echoing away. Walt sat there, mouth open, before getting up and opening the door.

"Who the hell are you?" he asked, but all he saw was the deserted corridor. All he felt was a slight breeze and all he heard was a wheezing sound. He looked back and forward but couldn't see the man. He returned to his compartment, shaking his head.

"Hello honey," said a voice. Walt looked up to see his wife coming in. "Sorry I couldn't find anything you liked. Oh that's very good," she said, pointing to his notepad. "What are you going to call him?"

"Mortimer," said Walt, then faltered. "No, no. No lets call him Mickey instead." He looked down at his sketches and smiled. "Say hello to Mickey Mouse."


End file.
